Hi, I've been reading these boards for a while and found some stuff really helpful.. But I just need a bit of advice!

I have been on induction for 2.5 weeks and lost a pound. I won't lie, I've had a few slip ups... I ate a cake one day and a flapjack another.. But even so I'm disappointed with my loss. Aside from those slip ups this is my average diet:

Breakfast: 3 rashers bacon, 2 eggs, fried in butter

Lunch: 1 tin of tuna/crab meat or chicken breast. Half an avocado, 2oz cheese, stick of celery. 1 tbsp sour cream or mayo.

Snack: smoked salmon, or cream cheese with splenda. (Yesterday I had pork rinds but they had maltose in- is that bad??)

Dinner: chicken/fish/pork/beef with broccoli, peppers, mushrooms. With olive oil or butter.

I drink 1 cup of caff and 2 cups of decaff coffee per day, with cream. I drink 2.5 L water per day. I have cut out diet coke/sf jelly to avoid aspartame. I try to get 12-15g carbs from veg and increased my fat intake. I exercise for 1hr 5 times a week.

I have been testing my urine with ketostix and have no trace of ketones.

My questions are:

1. Am I doing alright (apart from the cakes!!)
2. Have the slip-ups caused lack of ketosis/weight loss this whole time? (They were about a week apart)
3. Is it possible that splenda delays weight loss?
4. How can I get into ketosis? I know some people have no change of the sticks but I have no other symptoms at all so don't think I am in ketosis.

Any help would be MUCH appreciated! I have 2.5 stone (35lbs) to lose in 9 weeks in order to fit into my wedding dress! I am starting to panic!!!!

one slip up for me and it takes 2-3 days to get back into ketosis. That's probably your problem. I know some people say the sticks never change for them but I think that's rare. Dr. Atkins outlines in his book a way to overcome that if it happens. Then again, a few people have lost of tons of weight and say they never got into ketosis. I don't think that's the norm though.

My advice to you is to be real strict! No slip ups. Also watch the amount of veggies and cheese you consume. Even if I eat too many veggies I get thrown out of ketosis. The sticks work for me when I'm doing the diet right and I also lose weight

BTW...plain pork rinds are great! If they are flavored then you need to check the carb count.

The initial weight loss is stored glycogen and the diuretic effect of the diet. The glycogen in the body can weigh around 1 kilo ish which is just over 2lb. The diuretic effect is due to the fact that burning fact requires more water than burning carbohydrate. Water stored under the skin and around the body is removed in the first few days of the diet.

With this in mind if you consume more carbs than you can tolerate you will start to refill the glycogen level and the water associated with it. My boyfriend after a very carb heavy day can put on up to 5 lb. It then took about 3 days to get back to where he was.

The consequences of cheating on Atkins are much worse than cheating on a normal diet. The body prefers to run on carbs as it is an easy source of energy so too many carbs and you will switch back. However fat will only burn properly in the presence of carbohydrate hence the 20g a day to start.

If you're going to achieve your target you need to stick religiously to the program. If now that you have been on it two weeks you feel you are not going to be able to do it without cheating then I would suggest that you come off the program and move onto something else while you still have to achieve your goal. Also be prepared as soon as you come off you will look at about 7lb in the first 2 weeks, which is as mentioned about glycogen, water and fat storage as the body will think it is still in starvation so will convert carbs to fat almost instantly.

Great advice! Remembering this quote will help me to stick with the plan.